


Not a Child Anymore

by PeriodDramaWriter



Category: The Sound of Music - Rodgers/Hammerstein/Lindsay & Crouse
Genre: F/M, Family, Hurt and comfort, Pregnancy, Romance, teen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-29
Updated: 2018-11-03
Packaged: 2019-08-09 14:31:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 15,629
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16451660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PeriodDramaWriter/pseuds/PeriodDramaWriter
Summary: "Telling your mother that you're pregnant at seventeen? What's so fearsome about that?' When Liesl learns that she is pregnant after spending New Year's Day with her suitor, Nicolas, will she be able to find the courage to tell those closest to her? What will happen in the months - and years - to come? Will she be able to work on her studies and relationship with a baby in tow?





	1. Chapter 1

_'Telling your mother that you're pregnant at seventeen? What's so fearsome about that?'_ Liesl had been trying to tell herself since she had received the telegram which had only confirmed what she had already known from deep within her heart a little over four months ago. She knew that Maria would be disappointed in her for acting so recklessly; that she would no doubt ask many questions, but she also knew that as soon as the initial shock had worn off she would be drawing her into her embrace and pressing soft kisses to her forehead and cheeks as she reassured her that she would be there to support her and guide her through her pregnancy.

Liesl felt her heart pounding as she nervously made her way through the Grand Hall towards the family room and she wrung her hands gently in front of herself, the slight nauseousness that lingered from when she'd vomited just minutes ago growing stronger as she prayed silently that her mother wouldn't be in the family room and that she would be able to keep her pregnancy to herself for just a week or two longer. Her hopes were dashed when she saw Maria standing in the centre of the room through the small window on the door, however, Rosmarie cradled tenderly in her arms as she gazed affectionately down at her and her soft rosebud lips were curled up into a precious smile as it appeared as though she was attempting to get her off to sleep.

Liesl hesitated momentarily when she reached the door and she released the trembling breath that she didn't realize that she had been holding as she ran her soft hand lovingly over her still-flat abdomen through the beautiful floral fabric of her dirndl, knowing that her baby wouldn't be able to feel her comforting caresses for another few weeks but still feeling the urge to show it just how much she loved it. After standing quietly for a time as she thought about how she was going to make revealing her pregnancy to her mother as easy as possible, she knocked gently upon the door before she allowed a soft smile to appear upon her lips when her mother caught her gaze through the window and shifted Rosmarie warmly into one arm in order to beckon for her to enter.

The slight fear and nervousness that Liesl was feeling must have been as plain as the nose on her face due to the way that her mother was looking at her as she made her way into the room, Maria's brow furrowing slightly in concern as her clear blue eyes sparkled lovingly as she looked over at her. Once Liesl had closed the door quietly behind herself a short time later, she intertwined her fingers in front of herself and dropped her gaze to the soft carpet as she gave herself a second to compose herself. 'Mother, please may I speak with you?' She whimpered softly when she met her mother's loving gaze, her body beginning to trembl

'Of course you may, darling, you know that you can speak to me about anything that's bothering you.' Maria's tone was gentle and held nothing but love for her as she began to make her way over to the settee with Rosmarie still cradled tenderly in her arms, Liesl following close behind her before they lowered themselves down carefully onto the settee and Maria brought Rosmarie to sit safely in her lap before she smoothed out the slight creases that had formed upon the baby pink skirt of the new dress she had made for her. 'Now, my love,' Maria sighed lovingly as she reached out to take Liesl's hand in her own as her free hand rested protectively upon Rosmarie's belly. 'What's been troubling you?'

'There's something that I need to tell you, mother.' Liesl admitted as her deep blue eyes sparkled with tears. 'I wanted to tell you about it weeks ago because I know it would've been the right thing to do and I know that I wouldn't have felt so alone over the last fortnight, but-but I just didn't know how to say it and I was so terrified! I didn't mean for it to happen, mother, really I didn't, but it has and I know that you're going to think that I'm a stupid and irresponsible teenager, but I just wasn't thinking properly and now..now I'm pregnant, mother; I'm going to have a baby!' Liesl was now trembling violently as she sat beside her mother on the settee and Maria remained holding lovingly to her hand, her mother's eyes wide with disbelief as she had become slightly pale and she continued to hold Rosmarie safely in her lap as the six-month-old played warmly with her fingers. 'Please say something, mother, please...' Liesl pleaded quietly through the gentle tears that were now scrolling warmly down her porcelain cheeks, Maria letting out a deep sigh.

'Is-' Maria cut herself short as she swallowed the tears that were making their way up her throat. 'Is Nicolas the father?' She asked as she remembered how Liesl had gone over to her suitor's residence on New Year's Day, a trembling sigh escaping her lips when Liesl nodded silently and she tightened her hold upon her hand as she sobbed gently. 'Does he know about the baby, Liesl, have you spoken to him about any of this since you found out?' Liesl remained still for several long moments before finally lifting her gaze to her mother's and shaking her head slowly, her cheeks already stained with tears as new ones continued to scroll down them and her gentle blue eyes sparkled with ones still to fall.

'I'm worried that he's going to despise me if I tell him about the baby, mother, I'm worried that he's going to leave me to care for it on my own and that he's going to fall out of love with me if I tell him about it.' Liesl choked out through her harsh sobs as she held her mother's gaze and could see that her own eyes were now filled with tears, a soft sigh escaping her as she watched her mother reach into the pocket of her dress before she pulled out her handkerchief and allowed her to take it. 'Why aren't you screaming at me?' She sniffed as she wiped the tears from her cheeks with the handkerchief and felt her mother caressing her thumb comfortingly against the back of her palm. 'Father would be.'

'I don't want you to think that I'm condoning what you and Nicolas have done, because I'm not.' Maria told her firmly, Liesl nodding as she hiccuped gently from the intensity of her previous sobs. 'You _promised_ your father and I that you would wait until you were married before you were intimate with a man, and by being so careless and impetuous when you went to see Nicolas, you broke your promise to the two of us and I can't even begin to explain how disappointed I am in you for that.' Liesl nodded sadly as she cast her gaze down into her lap.

'But,' Maria hooked her finger beneath her daughter's chin before slowly directing her gaze back to her own and stroking her thumb lovingly along her jawline. 'I cannot begin to explain how proud I am of you for having the courage to tell me about this, my darling.' Her tone was gentler now and her crystal blue eyes sparkled with pure love for her as her lips curled up into a soft smile, Rosmarie beginning to fuss in her lap before she shushed her affectionately and pressed a kiss to her crown before bouncing her. 'You could have just kept your pregnancy to yourself and waited for I, your father and the others to find out naturally, but you didn't and I am so desperately proud of you, my love.'

Liesl allowed a small smile to form upon her lips, then, before feeling a surge of love for her mother course through her veins when Maria allowed her hand to come to rest upon her flat belly through the floral material of her dress and she watched her brush her thumb tenderly against where her first grandchild was slowly continuing to form. 'You'll help me when the time comes, won't you, mother?' Liesl whimpered softly as she covered Maria's hand with her own upon her belly and the two of them laced their fingers together. 'I'm going to need you with me when the baby comes and I'm going to need you afterwards, too, to teach me how to feed the baby and change it and things, and-' She was cut off by a slow and soft kiss being pressed to her cheek, a loving smile appearing upon her lips as she gazed into her mother's eyes.

'I'm going to be right beside you through all of this, Liesl. I'm going to be there through every doctor's appointment, through every bout of morning sickness, through the birth, and I swear that I am going to be there to teach you everything that there is to know about being a mother.' Liesl couldn't help but sigh as Maria pressed her forehead to hers.

'Mother, there is _one_ more thing that I need you to do for me.' She admitted softly.

'Anything, my love.' Maria reassured her after carefully slipping Rosmarie's pacifier into her mouth to stop her from fussing.

'I want to wait a little while before I tell father, so I need you to promise me that you won't say anything and that you're going to be there with me when I do tell him. I want to tell Nicolas first, and I want to make sure everything is going to be fine with the baby before we tell father. I'm nervous that he's going to lose his temper with me and that he's going to drive Nicolas away, because you know just as well as I do that he's going to have it in for him when I tell him.'

'I promise that I am going to be there to hold your hand when we tell your father, darling.' Maria kissed her temple. 'We'll tell him together, but there's someone else you have to speak to about this now.' Liesl nodded with a relatively nervous smile before releasing a soft sigh and squeezing her mother's hand, the two of them sharing a loving glance.

It was time to telephone Nicolas.

* * *

She had barely been able to bring herself to talk to Nicolas - her fear creating a suffocating barrier that seemed to manipulate her throat - but, through panicked determination, she had somehow managed to invite him over. Then, as she waited - the minutes seeming like hours - she knew that she had to figure out exactly what she was going to say to him. Telling her mother had been one thing, but telling her suitor was a whole new world of trepidation for her. She hadn't been this nervous when she had told Maria about the baby, considering she had known that she was one of the most precious things in the world to her mother and that she loved her more than anyone else could ever hope to, but now, as she paced tearfully back and forth on the garden patio, she couldn't reassure herself that Nicolas would be as understanding and as supportive as her mother had been. Would he draw her into his arms and kiss her face and lips whilst whispering words of comfort to her, reassuring her that he would be there to cherish and protect she and their baby? Or would he place every piece of the blame on her and tell her that he wasn't ready to be a father before turning on his heel and leaving the garden, leaving her broken?

Only time would tell, now.

She felt her heart begin to pound violently against her chest when she caught sight of him out of the corner of her eye a short time later and her eyes began to sting with warm tears as he shot her that incredibly charming smile that she knew was only meant for her and no-one else, her heart breaking as she knew that this could potentially be the last time that she would ever be blessed enough to see it. The last time that he would ever look at her with so much love and affection in his warm hazel brown eyes that had never failed to make her go weak at the knee. The first tear scrolled gently over the curve of her porcelain cheek as she watched him slowly make his way across the garden to her, a second tear following the trail that the first one had left as she saw his perfect brow crease in concern for her at her sudden display of despondency.

'Darling?' She found herself unable to resist running into his protective arms at his term of endearment for her, her tears falling faster as gentle sobs began to escape her and she cupped her hand over her mouth in order to stifle them somewhat. 'Oh, my Liesl.' He whispered softly into her hair when she had run into his chest and he had wrapped his arms tightly around her waist, her face buried into his shirt as her sobs were loud and desperate and certainly not the kind of cries that you would expect to hear from the daughter of a decorated Naval Hero.

He held her protectively in his arms for several long minutes as her sobs grew in intensity and he cradled the back of her head tenderly in the palm of his hand as her own arms were wrapped around his middle, her perfectly sculpted hands gripping the soft material of his jacket as she buried her face further into his shirt and her warm tears caused the thin fabric to stick to his skin as he brushed his thumb soothingly against the soft dark brown hair that he discovered beneath his palm.

'I'm so sorry, Nicolas!' Liesl managed to choke out through her harsh tears as she turned her head slowly to one side upon his chest and nuzzled her cheek against the broad surface, her eyes fluttering closed when he nuzzled his nose soothingly into her dark brown hair and pressed a warm kiss to the crown of her head. 'Please don't leave me on my own, darling, I need you here to help me!' He seized her gently by the shoulders, then, before bringing her away from his chest and gazing down at her with a deep furrow in his brow as he frowned slightly. 'I need you.'

'Liesl, sweetheart, what on _earth_ are you going on about?' He reached up to stroke a strand of dark brown hair back behind her ear, her beautiful blue eyes brimming with tears as she gazed up at him and her lower lip quivered uncontrollably as she ran her hands slowly along the outside of his strong arms through the brushed fabric of his jacket. 'Who has put the idea into your head that I'm going to leave you?' He raised his brow at her as he held her warm face in his hands and brushed his thumbs across her perfect cheeks.

'Nobody.' She admitted faintly as she allowed herself to meet his gaze and all that she saw in his perfect brown eyes was pure love and adoration for her as he tenderly brushed his thumbs across the smooth skin of her cheeks, Nicolas appearing to become more perplexed as the seconds ticked by. 'It's just that I received a telegram a few months back and ever since I opened it, I've been terrified that as soon as I tell you what it said then you're going to stop loving me and you're going to tell me that you don't want anything to do with me anymore.' Several more tears danced down her porcelain cheeks, then, Nicolas letting out a loving sigh before he leaned forwards and kissed them off of her skin.

'Oh, my love, there is nothing that you could tell me that would make me stop loving you.' He told her sincerely as he stepped closer to her and allowed one hand to drop to her waist in order to bring her flush against him, his free hand remaining upon her cheek before he dropped his gaze from hers, down to her soft lips and back again before he left a slow and lingering kiss upon her lower lip, Liesl's deep blue eyes delaying opening when he pulled away from her. 'You are the most beautiful, loving, compassionate, gentle and funny girl that I have ever come across in my life, and now that you're mine there isn't anything that anyone could say or do that would ever make me fall out of love with you.'

He couldn't help but sigh deeply when her lower lip quivered once again and he saw the unmistakable fear and heartbreak in her beautiful dark blue eyes, his lips curling up into a loving smile before he pressed them to her warm forehead in a soft and tender kiss. 'Come here, my darling.' His tone was gentle as he took her perfectly sculpted hand in his own and began to lead her over to one of the nearby stone benches, a troubled sigh escaping her when they lowered themselves down onto it and she refused to meet his gaze. 'Liesl,' He took her chin lightly between his thumb and forefinger before turning her head slowly toward him. 'I want you to talk to me about this, darling, I want to understand.'

'I'm scared.' Her voice was coated with tears.

'Listen to me.' He took her face warmly in his hands before brushing his thumbs slowly across her porcelain cheeks and resting his forehead against her own, Liesl softly grazing the tip of her nose against his before she gazed deeply into his deep hazel brown eyes. 'I love you, Liesl von Trapp.' He told her firmly. 'I have loved you since the moment I set eyes on you when your parents held their anniversary ball last year, and I've continued to fall more and more in love with you since that evening.' He stroked his thumb warmly across her knuckles as he held her hand in his lap and his dark eyes shone with nothing but pure love for her, a surge of love for him coursing through her veins as she shuffled closer to him upon the bench and slipped her fingers through the gaps in his. 'I don't want you to be scared of talking to me, Liesl, I need you to know that I'll never judge you.'

'Will you hold me whilst I tell you?' She whispered softly as she dropped her gaze to his chest. 'Please? I need to be in your arms, Nicolas.'

'Come here, sweetheart.' He smiled before drawing her carefully into his lap and slipping his strong arms securely around her middle as she curled up, her head coming to settle upon his shoulder as she allowed her hand to come to rest upon his chest before brushing the pad of her thumb soothingly against the thin material of his shirt with a light sigh. 'You take all the time you need, darling.' He murmured gently into her perfect brown hair, running his hand along the curve of her side through her dress. 'There isn't any rush.'

'Do you remember when I came over on New Year's Day?' She asked softly after sitting in silence for a moment, her heart already beginning to pound as he held her tenderly in his embrace. 'Do you remember how you began to kiss me when we were sat together in your sitting room and then one thing led to another and we-' She hesitated. 'And you-'

'And I made love to you?' He finished for her, his voice muffled in her hair as he could sense her trepidation over the whole situation.

Liesl nodded silently. 'What I'm about to tell you has something to do with that afternoon, but I need you to know that I don't regret it. Not for a single moment. I love you, and I know that you love me and that you didn't take advantage of me, but something's happened.' She felt her chest tighten, then, and Nicolas had clearly heard her breath catch, considering he tightened his hold around her and pressed a lingering kiss to her crown as she snuggled further into his warmth. 'A few weeks on from that afternoon I started to feel nauseous at specific times of the day - but mainly when I woke - and I began to throw up, but I thought that I had just caught the stomach virus that Marta'd had for days. I tried to ignore it and just forget about it, but when it continued after Marta had recovered and I had realised that I had no other symptoms, I decided to visit the doctor. Three months ago, I received a telegram when I was sat at dinner with the family and it revealed the results of the doctor's examinations.' She drew back slowly from his chest, then, gentle tears glistening in her eyes once again as she cupped the sides of his neck in her palms and brushed her thumbs along his jaw. 'Nicolas.' She whimpered. 'I'm pregnant.'

The same shock and disbelief that had been evident in the eyes of her mother just an hour-and-a-half ago were now evident in the deep brown eyes of her suitor as he held her protectively in his arms, the gentle tears that had been brimming in her deep blue eyes just moments ago now dancing slowly down her porcelain cheeks as she studied his face in the hope that it would somehow reveal whether or not he was going to stay and support her or if he was going to simply remove her from his lap and walk away from all that they had built together over the last eight months of their relationship, not even a backwards glance being thrown over his shoulder.

She couldn't help but sigh sadly as she felt her heart sink slightly when she realised that his face was unreadable, a faint sob escaping her soft lips as she cast her tear-filled gaze down to his chest and she waited for him to push her away. He never did, though. After a short time of sitting together in silence, Liesl felt Nicolas rest his warm palm upon her tear-stained cheek before he directed her gaze back to his and she immediately melted in his embrace at the deep love and compassion that she detected in his eyes. 'Oh, my darling, I'm so sorry.' He whispered gently.

'I was so terrified that you would leave me once you found out.' She managed to say through her tears. 'I thought that you would place all of the blame on me and say that you didn't want anything more to do with me, Nicolas, and I know that it was wrong of me to have such little faith in you because I know that you love me and that you care for me, but I was just so overwhelmed at the fact that there's a human being growing inside of me and that I'm really going to be a mother in five months time and-' She let out a quiet whimper against his lips when he silenced her with a softly passionate kiss, his strong hand coming up to cup the sharpness of her jawline beneath the curtain of her hair as she melted into him and she allowed her arms to slip gently around his neck. 'That was such a pleasant way of telling me to shut up.' She giggled breathlessly a few moments later.

'I am never going to leave you, Liesl, do you understand me?' He growled as he pressed his forehead tenderly against her own and brushed his thumb lovingly against the ridge of her ear beneath her hair, his free hand coming to rest upon her still-flat belly before he smiled tearfully down at where his unborn child was continuing to grow safely. 'You're both my main priority now, my love, and even though I never expected to become a father at nineteen, I promise that I am going to be right next to you throughout all of this.'

'People will talk.' She reminded him as she reached up to stroke a short strand of dark hair away from his forehead. 'I'm going to start filling out in the next few weeks and then people are going to start noticing that I'm pregnant, Nicolas, which is going to make it difficult for both of us to go out together without people looking down on us for this. Even though we're young and I know that newborn babies are terribly hard to take care of, I want this child more than anything else in the world. When I read the telegram that told me that I was pregnant, the first thing that I said to myself was that I didn't want the baby. I know that termination is illegal and I never would have done it anyway, no matter the circumstances, but I told myself that I wanted it to be taken to an adoption agency as soon as it was born. As the weeks went by, though, I found myself unable to think of anything other than the baby.'

Nicolas smiled lovingly down at her as he stroked his fingers soothingly through her perfect long hair. 'Then, when I would lay awake in bed once Louisa had fallen asleep, I would think about the baby even more and imagine what it would be like to have it beside me in a cot when I went to sleep at night. What I'm trying to say, darling, is that even though I know that I'm going to struggle at first and even though all my spare time when I'm not working on my studies is going to be spent caring for our baby, I still want it. I want to be a mother to our child, and I want you to be there to help me raise it. I also want you to come and be outside the door during the birth.'

'I am going to be standing outside your bedroom door from the very first contraction to the moment our beautiful baby is placed into your arms, sweetheart.' He promised her.

'Thank you.' She sniffed tearfully before brushing a soft kiss against his lips and resting her forehead gently against his own, a loving smile upon her lips as he rubbed her belly.

'We're going to be parents, Liesl.' He breathed in slight disbelief.

'We are.' She giggled nervously, covering his large hand with her smaller one and lacing intertwining their fingers upon her stomach.

Yes, they would both be entering into the unknown in just a matter of months, but neither of them were as anxious as they had originally thought that they were going to be.

Because they had each other.

And that was all that they could ever hope for.

* * *

Georg groaned slightly as he walked into his bedroom later that evening, stifling a yawn and tugging off his jacket as he did so. He felt stupidly tired and silently scolded himself for letting his work wear him down so easily. But then, his tired eyes finally adjusting to the dim light of the room, he instantly felt himself relax and a smile of adoration spread across his features. There on the bed before him sat his beautiful Maria as she was settled back against the headboard and she held their daughter delicately to her chest as she gave her her feed. There wasn't a moment in the day that Maria was anything less than the epitome of beauty and elegance in his eyes, but he had to admit that he had always found her at her most beautiful whenever she was nursing their child. 'I thought you would have been long asleep by now.' He whispered softly when she allowed herself to tear her gaze away from Rosmarie in order to meet his own, a sleepy and yet breathtaking smile appearing upon her warm rosebud lips as he removed his tie. 'It's nearly midnight.'

'I was just about to drift off when she started crying for her feed.' She admitted as she allowed her head to drop back against the headboard and her crystal blue eyes glistened with the deep love and affection that she held for her six-month-old, Rosmarie continuing to suck sleepily upon her nipple as her small hand cupped the softness of her breast in its palm and she released perfect coos of contentment every now-and-again. 'Besides, you should know by now that I can't sleep properly if I'm not held in your arms.' Georg released a loving chuckle as he lowered himself down carefully onto the edge of their bed in order to remove his shoes, nothing but pure love and devotion sparkling in his deep blue eyes when he cast his gaze over to the miraculous woman that had made her way down the aisle toward him a little over a year ago and made him the happiest man alive.

As Rosmarie continued to take her feed, Maria felt her mind wandering back to Liesl. In truth, she hadn't been able to think of much else since her daughter had confided in her about her pregnancy. Whilst she was still deeply disappointed in her, she felt such compassion for her eldest child and empathized heavily with her fear. She wanted so terribly to tell Georg; after all, they were partners in everything, but she knew that it was Liesl's news to break, not her own, and that she had a promise to keep. Without even noticing it, Maria sighed, attracting the attention of her husband as he was fastening the final button upon his nightshirt. 'Maria, my love, what's the matter? You've been so preoccupied since I returned home from Innsbruck this afternoon.' He spoke gently to her as he climbed slowly into bed next to her a few moments later and leaned back against his pillows.

'I've just been terribly exhausted today, darling, that's all.' She reassured him as she continued to soothingly pat the small of Rosmarie's back through the silken material of her nightgown. 'All I need is a night of proper rest and I will be fine and well, I assure you.' Georg nodded slowly in response, not truly believing his wife's excuse but knowing from experience that it was wise not to press her when she was tired. 'There we go, my little love.' She whispered gently once Rosmarie had released her nipple a short time later, a loving smile upon her lips as she brought her daughter into a sitting position in her lap and swept her hand soothingly through the dark brown hair she'd gained from her father.

'Rosmarie gasped softly as she extended her small arms out to her father and Georg released a gentle chuckle in response before he drew his daughter into his embrace with a tender kiss to the side of her head, his eyes holding nothing but pure love and devotion for her when she allowed her head to settle upon his shoulder and she buried her perfect little face into the side of his neck before releasing a gentle sigh of contentment.

'Vati loves Rosmarie.' He whispered softly into her hair as he supported her rear with one arm and ran his free hand slowly along the curve of her spine through her nightgown. 'Why don't you lay yourself down and try and get some rest whilst I get this little one off to bed?' He whispered softly to the beautiful woman beside him as her head had fallen against his shoulder and he could tell that she was fighting against the desperate urge to just surrender and allow sleep to claim her. 'I'll get her settled in her cot and then I'll come to bed myself, hmm?' The gentle hum that Maria gave was confirmation enough for him, and so he waited until she had lay her head down upon her pillow before he slipped off of the bed and turned his head towards his beautiful little girl, burying his nose into the perfect dark brown curls which covered her small head as he felt her blinking against his neck.

 _How has it been half a year already?_ He asked himself as he continued to slowly pace the bedroom with Rosmarie snuggled against him, his strong hand on her upper back as he patted it comfortingly in order to lull her into a blissful slumber. _It only feels like yesterday that I was cradling her in my arms for the first time._

It didn't take much longer for Rosmarie to drift off against his shoulder, her thick dark eyelashes fluttering against his neck as she released the softest of snores and he started to carry her slowly over to her cot that stood at Maria's side of the bed. Once he had come to a stop beside his daughter's small bed, he cradled the back of her head warmly in his palm before bringing her away from his chest and beginning to lay her down carefully. 'There we go, my angel girl.' He whispered gently once her back had hit the mattress. 'Sleep well.'

With one final affectionate sweep of his hand through her perfectly soft hair, he began to make his way slowly back around to his own side of the bed that he and Maria shared. Once he was once again settled in bed beside the beautiful woman who had completely stolen his heart with her compassion, gentility, voice, and heart, he slowly slipped one arm slowly beneath her neck to cushion her head somewhat before wrapping his free arm protectively around her slight waist and bringing her back into his chest.

'Mmm...' Maria hummed softly in satisfaction as she settled back into him. 'Goodnight, Georg.'

'Goodnight, my darling Fraulein.' He whispered before pressing several soft kisses to the back of her neck, a soft smile upon his lips as he cuddled up to her. 'Pleasant dreams.'


	2. Chapter 2

As soon as Liesl awoke the next morning, everything came back to her with a sudden pang. There was no time for her to rest, for she instantly remembered everything that had unfolded and everything that was still yet to do so. She still felt her heart twist awfully with guilt as she recalled the sheer sadness that had lived in her mother's clear blue eyes when she had told her about the baby; but was soothed - to an extent - when she was able to remind herself of the support that Maria had offered, and of course she knew that Nicolas would stay by her side too. Yet, in spite of what comforts she was able to find, there was one piece of fear that remained in her mind and it made her chest feel painfully tight. Telling her father.

Even though she knew that he loved and cherished her deeply and that she was one of the most precious things in the world to him, she also knew that the news of her pregnancy would shock him to his core and that he wouldn't be anywhere near as calm and understanding as her mother had been the previous afternoon. He'd undoubtedly give her a thorough scolding, reminding her again and again about how stupid and reckless she'd been and about how she had practically shamed the family name.

Feeling tears spring to her eyes as she turned carefully onto her side and slipped her hand beneath her pillow, Liesl allowed her free hand to come to rest upon her still-flat belly before she brushed her thumb soothingly against where her baby was continuing to grow safely and allowed her eyes to flutter closed as she attempted to picture what her little boy or girl was going to look like when it was born. Would it have her soft rosebud lips or Nicolas's fuller ones? Would it have her deep blue eyes or Nicolas's perfect hazel ones?

Despite the fact that Liesl thoroughly enjoyed creating a mental image of what her baby was going to look like when it was eased into her arms for the first time and despite the fact that she hoped that her child would resemble its father more than her, she knew deep in her heart that she would love her son or daughter unconditionally no matter who it resembled the most. Running her hand slowly over her abdomen once again, she cast her gaze down to where her baby was slowly developing and felt a surge of complete love and devotion for it course through her as she knew that in less than a month she'd have a small bump that would be the unmistakable proof of the love she shared with Nicolas.

She had never anticipated that she would discover that she was going to become a mother at such a tender age, of course she hadn't, and she'd always believed that she would have settled down into a blissful marriage with a man who spent every waking moment trying to make her see just how deeply he loved and cherished her before she found out that she was going to become a mother, but that was merely a fantasy that her young mind had created. She loved Nicolas with her entire heart and soul and made certain that she found the time to remind him of that at least once a day, and she knew that once the baby had arrived he would throw himself into being a father and that he would shower their child with as much love and devotion that he possessed.

He had always been so affectionate toward her, so patient and gentle, and there was no doubt in her mind that he would treat their baby with just as much tenderness as he did her when he held it in his arms for the first time. Just thinking about that precious moment made her smile softly, tears of pure love and happiness now shining in her eyes as she nuzzled her nose into her pillow and allowed her eyes to fall closed, thoughts of her little family filling her mind.

She just couldn't wait.

The smile upon her lips faded when her stomach began to twist painfully, however, a feeling that she was all too familiar with. She sat up slowly in bed, desperately hoping that she was mistaken. She waited in silence for a few moments as the twisting continued, begging for it to just be a passing sensation - perhaps from the nervousness that she was feeling at the thought of facing her father later that day - but her heart filled with dread as the twisting only grew more painful and bile began to rise in her throat. Now she was certain. Without a second thought, she all but threw herself out of bed and hurried to the bathroom at the end of the landing, making it just in time before she collapsed in front of the toilet and began to vomit violently.

She had always had a fear of vomiting, ever since she had seen her mother vomit blood when she'd been laying on her death bed just days before her passing, and she occasionally suffered from mild panic attacks when her vomiting had been particularly violent and intense. Soft tears began to dance down her soft cheeks as she continued to vomit, the pain in her stomach and the burning in her chest gradually growing more intense due to the fact that she was simply bringing up bile.

A wave of calmness washed over her, however, when she felt a warm hand come to settle upon the middle of her back and her mother's natural scent invaded her senses when she lowered herself down onto the floor beside her. 'I'm here, my darling, it's alright.' Maria soothed gently as she used her free hand to gather Liesl's hair and hold it out of her face as the muscles in her daughter's body continued to contract forcefully, Liesl sobbing gently between heaves as she clutched the sides of the toilet bowl tightly in her hands.

'Just relax your body and take slow, deep breaths, sweetheart.' Maria continued to speak calmly to the seventeen-year-old as she ran her hand tenderly along her back and she tried to remember the words that Georg had murmured into her ear when she'd been the one in that position whilst she had been pregnant with their daughter. 'I know that it's horrid, my darling, but it doesn't last forever.' She reassured her. 'You're only going to have a few more weeks of this and then it'll stop.' Liesl gave a slow nod as she continued to take slow and deep breaths and her eyes were closed, her thoughts returning back to what her baby was going to look like in order to distract herself from the nauseousness.

It was a short while later when the severe nauseating sensation in the pit of her stomach finally started to dissipate and she lowered herself down to sit fully on the tiled floor of the bathroom before pressing her back gently up against the wall, sighing softly in contentment when she felt her mother take one of her hands before she brought it to her lips and pressed a tender kiss to the back of her palm. Maria then stood slowly from the floor before making her way over to the sink and running a cloth underneath the tap so that she could use it in order to clean her daughter up somewhat, a loving sigh escaping her lips as she started to wring out the cloth and she cast her tender gaze back over to Liesl who now had her eyes closed in fatigue as her head had dropped back against the wall.

The deep disappointment that she felt towards her still hadn't gone away fully, but when she watched her eldest daughter bring her hand up to her stomach and she saw her begin to caress slow circles against where her baby lay safely within her, she felt a surge of sheer pride course through her as she knew that Liesl understood what she had gotten herself into. She also knew, just by looking at her, that she'd make an incredible mother.

After making her way slowly back over to her with a loving smile upon her soft rosebud lips, Maria lowered herself back down onto the floor next to her daughter before stroking the backs of her fingers across her porcelain cheek which prompted Liesl to turn her head slowly towards her. 'I am so proud of you.' Maria whispered softly as she gently began to wipe her daughter's mouth with the damp cloth and Liesl allowed a soft smile to appear upon her lips, her cheeks still red from her exertions as the fatigue was evident in her deep blue eyes. 'You've been through so much on your own these last few months, my darling, and you haven't complained or grumbled about anything and you've had to cope with so much without any assistance.'

Liesl listened intently to her mother's words. 'I told you yesterday that I was indescribably disappointed in you for what you did, and I still am trying to come to terms with the fact that you let things get as far as they did, but now I find that I am so much more proud of you than I am disappointed. I never doubted that you were a strong person, my love, because I could see that you were from the moment we met. Over the last year-or-so, however, you've proven to me that you have so much potential and that you are so much stronger than I first thought. I know you're scared about becoming a mother, my darling, but I also know that you are strong enough.'

'I love my baby already, mother.' Liesl giggled gently. 'It sounds strange, saying I love something that I can't even feel yet, but I just can't explain how much love I have for it.'

'It was that way with me, Liesl.' Maria admitted as she took her daughter's hand warmly in her own and swept her thumb across her knuckles. 'From the moment I received the telegram that told me I was pregnant with Rosmarie, I knew I loved her. I only grew to love her more when I began to show, and for you it will be just as wonderful, I promise.'

'I've been thinking..' Liesl sighed as she snuggled against her mother and Maria slid her arm warmly around her middle, humming in response as she kissed the top of her head. 'I know that I said that I wanted to wait before we told father about the baby because I wanted to be sure that things would be fine, but I think it might be easier for all of us if we speak with him about it today. The longer I put it off, the longer I'm going to have this guilt eating away at me and the more angry he's going to be when he finds out. If we tell him today, I know he'll still be furious with me and I know he'll start yelling at me, but at least he won't feel as betrayed as he would if I told him weeks from now, mother.'

'Liesl von Trapp,' Maria cupped her daughter's face gently in her palms before kissing her forehead lingeringly. 'You are an absolute wonder, my darling.'

'I need you to hold my hand when I tell him, mother, or else I won't be able to find the words.' Liesl whimpered softly. 'I can already see the disappointment in his eyes.'

'I will be holding your hand from the moment we go into his study until the moment we come out, Liesl, I swear.' Maria reassured her. 'I'm going to be right beside you.'

As she had always been.

* * *

Georg groaned in annoyance as he set his pen down upon his desk later that same morning and leaned back in his chair with an exasperated huff as he gazed down at the large pile of party invites and important documents that he still had to sift through and sign, his eyes falling closed momentarily as he felt the beginnings of a migraine and he rubbed his temple slowly with the tips of his fingers. After yet another night of little sleep due to the fact that his precious little girl was cutting yet another tooth and that the only thing that could settle her was sucking upon the fabric of his nightshirt as he paced slowly around his bedroom and sang Edelweiss into her hair, making his way through an unending pile of the duties that he was expected to tend to was the lowest thing on the list of things that he desired to be doing at that moment. Rolling his eyes at the quiet knocking on the door to his study a few moments later, he grumbled a gentle 'enter' before the door opened with a soft squeak and the vision that was his wife made her way into the room.

in Maria's hand was a steaming cup of tea that rested upon a saucer as there was a loving smile upon her perfectly soft lips and her crystal blue eyes glistened preciously as she approached his desk before setting the saucer down slowly before him. 'I _thought_ you might be in a bit of a mood.' She teased gently with a perfect smirk as she made to stand behind him, her arms draping loosely around his neck before she leaned down slightly to press her soft lips against his cheek in a tender kiss. 'I may not remember a great deal about my parents, my love, but one thing I do remember is something my mother always used to say to my father when he came home from work in a dark mood. A cup of tea when you're exhausted does absolute wonders.'

Georg couldn't help but chuckle affectionately at that, as he always did whenever Maria told him something about her childhood or her long-deceased parents that she remembered, his lips curling up into a loving smile before he reached up to take one of her soft hands in his own and he brought it slowly to his lips in order to leave a long and warm kiss to the smooth skin at the back of her palm. 'You always work far too hard, my darling, you're always in here for hours on end.'

'It's what society demands of me, I'm afraid, my sweet one.' He admitted as he leaned back in his desk chair and felt Maria's hold tighten slightly around his neck when her soft lips came into contact with the warm skin that they discovered just behind his ear, a gentle hum of contentment escaping him as she lingered slightly before drawing away. 'But that's not to say that I don't long for a few hours to myself every now and again.'

He felt his heart swell with the love he possessed for her when he felt her nuzzle her porcelain cheek gently against his, his thumb running soothingly across her knuckles before she turned her head to brush a kiss against his jaw. 'Are you _trying_ to distract me, Baroness?' Her only response was a faint hum as she continued to dot simple kisses along the sharpness of his jaw, her warm hands running soothingly along the front of his chest through the thin material of his shirt as her kisses ventured down the side of his neck and his eyes fell closed of their own accord. 'You are _such_ a tease.' He told her with a loving smirk.

'Mmm...so I've been told.' She murmured against his smooth skin as she continued to brush slow open-mouthed kisses over his neck, her arms unwinding from around his neck in order for her to slide them warmly around his waist and begin to slip the buttons of his jacket carefully through their holes. 'You can hardly relax when you've got such a tight jacket on, now can you, darling?' He shook his head silently in response before reaching back to place his hand warmly upon the side of her neck, his thumb caressing her flesh.

'Let's see what we can do about that, shall we?' He felt her smirk gently against his neck when she slipped the final button through its hole, her arms unwinding from around his middle in order for her to take hold of the lapels of his jacket and begin to slide the article of clothing over his shoulders. Chuckling softly as his wife continued to cover his neck with tender kisses, Georg leaned forwards slightly in his chair in order to aid her in removing his jacket before she hung it over the back of the chair and pulled him back to her.

'Are you quite finished with distracting me now, my lovely Baroness?' He teased with a hint of a chuckle in his tone once she had practically forced him back into his chair by the shoulders and was now kissing her way back up his neck towards his ear, her kisses soft and warm as she massaged his shoulders through his shirt and he let out a light groan.

'Your muscles are so tense, darling.' She hummed softly into his ear as her perfectly sculpted hands continued to work to get the knots out, gentle groans escaping Georg's lips. 'That's because you spend so much time bent over this desk instead of outside with the children and I, you know.' She told him as she kissed his cheek softly and a gentle smile appeared upon her lips when his head fell back against her arm and he gazed up at her with nothing but love in his eyes, her heart racing with love for him as she bent down to place a soft kiss upon his warm mouth.

'I don't know why you always insist on wearing your ties so tightly,' Her lips curled up into another perfect smile when she stopped with her ministrations to his shoulders, her fingers slowly sliding around to where his tie was knotted at the base of his throat beneath the collar of his shirt. 'I don't know how you're supposed to relax when your tie is so tight, so I'm afraid that it's going to have to go.' Georg shook his head good-naturedly as he sat up slightly and allowed his head to return to its natural position, Maria nuzzling the tip of her nose soothingly against the warm skin that she discovered just below his jaw as she began to slowly undo the knot of his tie.

'Where on earth has the innocent young woman who I woke up to this morning disappeared to?' He questioned, a perfect giggle escaping her as she was now nuzzling his neck.

'Oh, Georg, she disappeared the moment you began kissing her.' She told him as she finally managed to unknot his tie and she removed the thin article of clothing from around his neck. 'She returned momentarily when our beautiful little girl woke up and needed her Vati to help take her pain away, though, and she fell more in love with you as she sat on our bed and watched you settling our daughter.' Georg couldn't help but smile when he felt his wife press a tender kiss to the back of his head, her hands running soothingly down his arms as he thought back to how he had held Rosmarie close to him that morning, her beautiful face buried into his neck as she had whimpered through the pain which accompanied teething and he had pressed countless kisses into her soft brown hair whilst patting her back soothingly and singing softly into her ear. 'I love you terribly, Georg.'

Georg stood from his chair, then, a mischievous grin upon his lips as he took her soft hands in his own and began to lead her over to the small window seat.

'Georg, what about your work?' Maria questioned with a knowing smirk as he sat and lowered her down into his lap.

'I think I've earned myself a break, Maria.' He admitted gently. 'Besides, there happens to be a beautiful woman in my arms that I'm simply _desperate_ to kiss.'

Maria giggled slightly at that, but it was cut short when she felt Georg's warm lips upon her own. His lips were soft and the languid kiss that he'd caught her in was beginning to draw her in, like the pull of sleep after an exhausting day with their children. She brought a hand to the side of his neck as Georg gently pushed her lips apart and deepened the kiss, feeling herself getting lost in his affections as they were nothing if not hypnotic. When she felt him begin to caress her waist through the thin material of her dress, though, the illusion shattered and there was only one thing on her mind.

The talk.

She and Liesl had agreed that they would tell Georg about the baby once lunch was finished and she'd sent the younger children out into the garden to play so they didn't hear the shouting that the two of them knew would come forth from Georg at one point. She detested hiding things from her husband and she wished more than anything that she could simply come out and tell him, but it wasn't her place to do so. He was going to be furious enough as it was when Liesl told him, and it wouldn't do for her to go blurting it out and have him force her out of his arms in order to go in search of Liesl. She had to respect her wishes.

She was brought back to the present by Georg smoothing the backs of his fingers along her cheek a short time later and the slightly concerned look in his eyes made her realize that he had once again been able to sense that something was wrong with her. 'I wish you would tell me what's wrong, my darling.' He sighed deeply when she forced herself to meet his worry-filled gaze. 'I know that you're tired due to Rosmarie's teething, sweetheart, but I feel like there's something you're not telling me. Has something worried you?'

'I'm just worried that Rosmarie's pain is too much for her.' Maria half-lied as she placed her soft hand upon her husband's chest and felt her stomach turn with guilt once again. 'Whenever I hold her whilst she's crying because of it, she looks up at me and I can see in her eyes that she's waiting for me to do something to take the pain away for her. It's just so hard to see her in such agony and not be able to do anything for her except from let her suck on a cold cloth or on your pyjama shirt, Georg, and it's so hard to hear her screaming and being unable to feed. We both suffer when she's teething, Georg, because she hardly takes her milk off of me and then I'm left in pain because of it.' She sighed.

'Oh, my love, come here.' He spoke gently to her as he brought her close and allowed her to lay her head down upon his shoulder, tears sparkling in her crystal blue eyes whilst she gripped the thin material of his shirt in her hand and she nuzzled her nose slowly into the side of his neck. 'I know you feel for her, sweetheart, so do I, but there's not a lot that we can do for her. Compared to Brigitta when she was teething, Rosmarie's coping magnificently. Brigitta never slept when she was teething because she was in such pain, and I remember how Agathe and I had to take it in turns to sit up all through the night with her whilst she screamed the place down.'

He ran his hand slowly along the curve of her spine through her dress. 'Agathe had the same problem as you, my love, with the pain due to Brigitta refusing to feed from her, and so we asked the doctor if there was anything that we could do for her. He told us that Brigitta was more likely to accept her milk if she expressed it and put it into the refrigerator for a few hours before trying to give it to her, and so we did that and Brigitta would finish the entire bottle every time. She wasn't taking Agathe's milk from her directly, because her gums were too painful. When the milk was cold, though, Brigitta took it because it helped to soothe her gums, so you could say that we killed two birds with one stone.' Maria nodded with a soft smile.

'Do you think that it would work for Rosmarie?' She asked hopefully as she sat up in his lap and slipped her arm slowly around his neck. 'Do you think she would take her feed?'

'It's worth a try, darling, if it helps both of you to be in less pain.' He smiled as he reached up to stroke her fringe carefully away from her forehead before kissing it lingeringly.

'What would I do without you?' She shook her head with a loving smile as she stroked his hair with the tips of her fingers.

'Hmm...' He tapped his chin. 'Be a terrible excuse for a nun, I suppose.'

 _'Excuse me?'_ She exclaimed with an amused smile. 'I wouldn't be a _terrible excuse_ for one, I would just be an...an out of the ordinary one.'

'You'd be a flaming gorgeous one, I'll give you that.' He breathed as he stroked the tips of his fingers warmly down the sharpness of her jaw. 'Everything about you is _exquisite_.'

'Oh, shut up.' She blushed with a gentle smile as she cast her gaze down to his chest, her light blue eyes glistening beautifully when he brought her gaze back to his own.

'I know you don't see it.' He admitted with a loving smile. 'I know that you've been self-conscious ever since Rosmarie came along.'

'I just can't seem to lose all of the baby weight.' She sighed deeply. 'No matter how many times I walk up that blasted mountain.'

'Listen to me.' He spoke softly as he cupped her perfect face in his hands. 'You are the most attractive woman in the world to me and I fall more in love with you with every day that passes. I know you're worried that all I see when I look at you is the extra weight that you gained from your pregnancy, but that couldn't be further from the truth. When I look at you I see the mother to my eight children and my best friend, Maria, and I see the incredible woman who made it possible for me to have a relationship with my children before I lost them all forever. You are so beautiful both inside and out, darling, and even though I admit that Elsa was beautiful on the outside she wasn't even close to being as beautiful as you are on the inside.' Maria smiled tearfully at him as she cupped the sides of his neck warmly in her palms. 'My point is, Maria, baby weight or not, you're still the most beautiful woman in the world to me and even more-so because the baby weight just reminds me of how strong our love is for each other. Our love gave us our daughter.'

'It did, didn't it?' She agreed softly. 'I love you so much, Georg, honestly.'

'I love you too, my beautiful Baroness.' He reached up to stroke her fringe delicately to one side once again. 'More than I could ever hope to tell you.'

* * *

And so, quicker than perhaps either of them would have liked, lunch was over and it was time to tell Georg everything. Liesl would've been lying if she'd said that she didn't feel scared, because, quite frankly, she was terrified. Her one comfort, however, was knowing that the support of her mother would help her through it. They were both sitting upon the small settee opposite Georg as he sat at his desk, a slightly confused expression etched onto his face as he looked over at them and their mutual nervousness must've been as plain as the noses on their faces. 'Would one of you please explain to me what is going on?' He asked slowly after a few moments of them sitting in an uncomfortable silence.

Liesl looked at her mother with tears sparkling in her deep blue eyes, then, Maria nodding gently with a tender smile before she squeezed her hand reassuringly and slipped her fingers carefully through the gaps in hers. 'Father, there's something that I need to tell you.' Liesl admitted softly as she felt her heart begin to pound and her legs were already beginning to shake, her stormy blue eyes locked with her father's as he remained sitting at his desk. 'Do-do you remember when I went over to see Nicolas on New Year's Day?' Georg nodded silently as the crease in his brow only deepened. 'Something happened when I was there and ever since it did I've been trying to find a way to tell you.' She said.

'Okay, mein schatz, what is it?' He asked gently as his brow furrowed in slight concern for her.

 _'Schatz.'_ Liesl sighed inwardly to herself as she tightened her hold upon her mother's hand and felt her heart sink slightly. _'The pet-name that he and mother used to use for me whenever I was hurt or unwell. He really isn't making this any easier.'_ She gave herself a moment to gather her thoughts before she swallowed the tears that were travelling up her throat and cast her gaze back over to the man who she had always looked to first for love and protection. 'When I was there I was sat on the settee with Nicolas and after a while he began to kiss me. We kissed for a while and then one thing led to another and we were...' Her voice faltered softly before Maria caressed her hand. 'We were intimate.'

She saw the instant flash of fury in his eyes.

 _'How intimate_?' He hissed through gritted teeth.

She felt her stomach twist as awfully as it had done earlier that morning as she remained sat on the settee and knew what she wanted to say, but she just couldn't bring herself to say the words. 'Georg...' Maria sighed as she shifted closer to their daughter and slid her free arm around her waist whilst still holding her hand. 'She's going to have a baby.'

He was silent for a long time after that. Eerily silent. He just sat there behind his desk with his eyes closed and his jaw set with rigid tension. Liesl wanted desperately for him to say something - anything - no matter how painful his words may be. She looked helplessly at her mother but found little comfort in her light blue eyes, knowing that she was as anxious as herself about what his first words were going to be. After several more long moments of stiff anticipation, they turned back to Georg as he finally let out a deep sigh. 'How long have you known about this?' His voice was unreadable as he refused to meet her gaze, the tears that had been stinging in Liesl's eyes now scrolling down her cheeks.

'Two months, father, but I'd already been pregnant for two months when I found out about the baby.' She managed to choke out through her soft sobs as Maria held her close.

'And you knew about this too, Maria?' He growled as his anger-filled gaze locked with the gentle one of his wife.

'She only told me about the baby yesterday.' She admitted, her voice barely audible.

'And you didn't think to tell me?' He furrowed his brow as he shook his head at her.

'Georg, it wasn't my news to tell.' She insisted. 'And Liesl wanted to wait.'

'Why?' He hissed. Liesl gave no answer. 'Well, I don't even have to ask who the father is, now do I? Nicolas _flaming_ Schweitzer.' Liesl couldn't even find the strength to meet his gaze, never mind respond to him. It felt as though her throat had completely closed. 'Do you have any idea of how irresponsible your actions were? How you disrespected I and your mother by breaking your promise to us?' Liesl's tears only fell faster as she could hear the complete disappointment and fury in the voice of her father, her heart breaking.

'I'm sorry.' She choked out.

'Sorry isn't good enough in this situation, Liesl!' He barked as he slammed his fist down upon his desk, both Maria and Liesl gasping sharply in shock. 'I thought you were better than this! Your mother and I trusted you with the slightest bit of responsibility and you threw it right back in our faces!' His stormy blue eyes were now almost black with anger.

'I didn't mean for it to happen!' She exclaimed tearfully when she finally forced herself to look at him, her angry tears now streaming down her porcelain cheeks.

'That's irrelevant!' His voice only grew louder with rage. 'What matters is what you've now gotten yourself into; what you have to deal with! This isn't something simple, Liesl, it is the life of a baby that we're dealing with! A real human being! You always insist that you're an adult and that you want to be treated like one, but this just shows your mother and I that you're no better than a child and that you can't be trusted to act responsibly when we're not around!' Maria knew that she had to interject. She could see that he was hurt and that his emotions were now consequently running away with him, but she was terribly afraid of what one of them may say if she were to sit there and hold her tongue.

'Georg, I-'

'Maria, silence. I'll get to you in a moment.' He ordered, Maria rather taken aback at how he'd spoken to her as though she were simply Gretl's age.

'Father, please..' Liesl whimpered softly as she gazed over at him and Maria continued to soothingly brush her thumb across her knuckles.

'You always made me so proud of you, Liesl, and I've always been able to tell guests at parties about how much of a credit you are to me.' He scoffed. 'How can I do that now?'

'I'm sorry, father.' She sniffed, her eyes and nose now red from her sobbing.

'So you keep saying.' He grumbled. 'Now leave us; I need to speak with your mother.'

Liesl cast her gaze over to Maria, then, an apologetic look in her tear-filled eyes before Maria sighed lovingly and pressed the softest of kisses to her soaked cheek. 'Go, darling.' Liesl then stood from the settee before clasping her hand over her mouth and making her way out of the study as she bit back sobs, slamming the heavy door behind her. Maria felt nothing but pure anger towards her husband as the two of them sat in silence for several long moments once their daughter had left the room, a long and deep sigh leaving her lips as she attempted to keep herself as calm as possible. 'Was there really any need for that?' She asked gently as her hands now lay in her lap. 'Was there really any need for you to be so beastly towards her, Georg, or to stop her from trying to explain herself at every opportunity?' She scolded, glowering at him. 'I've never seen this side of you.'

He simply glared back at her as he fixed himself a small glass of Scotch before settling back in his chair and shaking his head slowly in slight disbelief. 'Our _daughter_ , Maria, our seventeen-year-old daughter has just come to me and told me that she is four months pregnant after spending an afternoon at her suitor's home. On top of that, I am told that my _wife_ , the woman that I have been concerned about and lost six hours of sleep over due to worrying about her last night, knew about it and thought that I didn't have a right to know too. I find out all of that in the space of twenty minutes and you ask me if there was any need for me to lose my temper about it?' He scoffed before throwing back the glass of Scotch and set the glass down on his desk. 'I'm your husband, Maria, I would've thought that I meant more to you than this!' She couldn't contain her anger any more.

'It's not like that at all!' She snapped. 'Liesl made me promise that I wouldn't tell you!

'So you chose some stupid alliance with our daughter over me?' He spat.

'What? So you're saying that you have more rights than her?' She retorted. 'This isn't some Naval hierarchy, Georg!'

'I had a right to know!' His eyes had once again grown dark with fury.

'And _she_ ,' Maria stood from the settee, then, and made her way up to her husband's desk before stopping in front of it. 'Had the right to keep her own secret! You might be her father, Georg, but chivalry is the only law that says she must tell you about everything that occurs in her life!' Maria's cheeks had now turned a deep shade of red as she yelled.

'I thought we said no secrets?' He growled as he gazed up at her with betrayal in his eyes. 'I thought we swore to one another that we would always be honest with each other!'

'This isn't as black and white as all that! Surely you must understand why I didn't say anything!' Her brow furrowed.

'No, not particularly, all I see is distrust and deceit from both you _and_ our daughter!' He hissed.

'Deceit?!' She laughed out loud. 'You've got to be joking, I haven't deceived you at all!'

'You lied!' He stood sharply from his chair. 'By not telling me about this - about our daughter being _pregnant_ at the age of seventeen, for crying out loud - you lied to my face!'

'And why do you think she wanted to keep it from you?' She shook her head with a look of pure disappointment on her face. 'She didn't want to tell you about the baby because she _knew_ that you'd overreact! She's seen how fierce and hot-tempered you can be, and she was terrified of seeing that side of you again! I guess her fears were well invested.' The tears were dancing slowly down her cheeks now as she stood before her husband, her chest rising and falling heavily from her sudden outburst.

'I want you, once you have calmed down, to go and find our daughter and to hold her in your arms. I want you to apologize for how unfeeling you were towards her and I want you to mean it with all your heart and soul. I want you to let her know that you're there to support her and are going to continue to be throughout the rest of her pregnancy and after, Georg, because even though she disrespected us and lost our trust, she is still our daughter and we are still her parents. She needs us now more than she ever has, and I am not going to permit her to go through this without us.' Georg kept silent as she continued to choke out words. 'I mean it, Georg, if the two of you aren't at peace by tonight then you're sleeping alone.'

And, with that, she turned on her heel and made her way out of her husband's study, leaving him alone to make his decision.

* * *

Nicolas couldn't help but pace back and forth as he waited out in the garden, his chest constricting with agonizing worry. Liesl had been in floods of tears when she'd telephoned him just half-an-hour ago and the only details that he had been able to make out was that she needed to see him desperately. He was utterly petrified as thousands of different scenarios played out in his mind, each one more devastating than the last. He just needed to see her, to hold her in his arms and to know that everything was fine with she and their baby.

A gentle sigh of relief escaped him when he heard the back door to the villa squeak open and he turned in place to see Liesl making her way through it whilst she let out broken sobs, her cheeks already stained with tears as she made her way quickly down the stone steps and hurried over to him as he opened his arms to receive her. She all but collapsed in his arms once she had reached him, her face burying immediately into the thin material of his shirt as he wrapped his arms protectively around her slight waist. 'Please!' She managed to choke out through her loud sobs as he helped her find her feet and she immediately nuzzled her face into his neck. 'Please don't let go of me, Nicolas!'

'I'm not going to, my darling, I swear.' He reassured her with his growing concern for her clear in his tone as he turned his head toward her and pressed countless tender kisses into her soft dark hair, his once freshly-ironed shirt now creased at the back as she gripped it desperately in the palms of her hands and he ran one hand comfortingly along the perfect curve of her spine through her dress.

The thoughts that he had been having whilst he had been stood alone in the garden a short time ago returned with a vengeance as he held Liesl safely in his arms and she continued to sob gently into his neck, the images that were racing through his mind far worse than they'd been when he had been trying to figure out what it was that could have put her into such an inconsolable state. 'Liesl, my love, what's happened?' He asked quietly as he slowly drew her away from his chest, his suitor's stormy blue eyes glistening with unshod tears as her cheeks were stained with fallen ones and she swallowed hard several times in an attempt to get her words out. 'Is - is the baby okay?' He asked softly as he placed his strong palm upon her lower abdomen and locked gazes with her, a minute smile appearing upon her lips as she nodded.

'The baby is fine, darling, but I - I just told my father about everything and...and oh, Nicolas, he's so angry with me!' She exclaimed gently before he wrapped his arms tenderly around her once again and brought her to his chest as her soft sobs started up once more, her head coming to rest upon his shoulder as she slipped her arms around his middle and snuggled up against him. 'He called me a child and told me that I had disrespected both he and my mother by being intimate with you, and he told me that I was no longer a credit to him in his eyes. I tried to tell him countless times that I was sorry; that I didn't mean to fall pregnant and that it was an accident, but he just kept on interrupting me and then he sent me out of the room so that he could talk to mother on his own. I could hear the two of them screaming at one another from the top of the stairs. I really didn't mean to get mother into any trouble, Nicolas, I just needed somebody to talk to and she's always been there for me when I've needed her!' She sobbed gently against his neck.

'Oh, my beautiful girl.' He murmured gently against her forehead when he turned his head slowly towards her and pressed a lingering kiss to the warm skin that he found there. 'Your mother loves you more than anything, Liesl, anyone who sees the two of you together can see that. From the moment you told her yesterday, she would have known that your father would be furious with her for keeping such an important secret away from him; for lying to him, but that just shows how deeply she loves you.' His warm lips curved up into a loving smile as he gazed down at the beautiful young woman in his arms and saw that she now had a small smile upon her lips as her tears continued to dance warmly down her porcelain cheeks. 'There it is,' He spoke softly as he wiped the stray tears from her cheeks with the tips of his fingers. 'There's that smile.' Liesl let out a gentle giggle.

'You always know exactly what to say, don't you?' She sighed lovingly as she brought her hand up to settle upon his chest, her fingers curling into the crisp material of his shirt. 'I - I love you so terribly, Nicolas.' She stroked the tips of her fingers tenderly along the sharpness of his jaw as she continued to gaze into his handsome hazel brown eyes, the tip of her soft pink tongue coming out to moisten her lips somewhat as she allowed her gaze to drop from his, down to his lips and back again before he drew her slightly closer, placed his index finger lightly beneath her chin and tilted back her head. Then, with a gentle tilt of his own head, Nicolas captured her lips with his own, not allowing any doubts to live in her mind.

The kiss was sweet and soft in the beginning but soon became passionate and purposeful as he teased her lips apart and deepened their kiss, trying to draw every ounce of fear out of her. He secured his hold around her before allowing one hand to venture up her arm and plunge gently into her warm brown locks, a perfect whimper escaping her as he began to comb soothingly through them as he pulled her closer. He felt Liesl pull away from his shoulder, then, her soft hands sliding up his chest toward his shoulders before she clung to his lapels and began to return his kiss with just as much tenderness and passion as he was giving. All she wanted in that moment was to feel safe and loved, and whenever she was with him - whenever he took her into his arms and kissed her - she couldn't feel anything but. His arms were her home, and she adored that.

She couldn't stop the warm smile from appearing upon her lips when he began to trail his kisses away from her mouth and along her cheek, his lips soft against her skin as they just barely brushed against her on their journey down towards her sharp jaw. She allowed her eyes to drift closed of their own accord as she tilted her head forwards, her warm forehead coming to rest upon his shoulder as he began to kiss his way down her neck. 'Nicolas...' She breathed as one of his strong hands remained upon her waist through her dress and his free hand came up to cup the other side of her neck in its palm, his warm lips leaving soft open-mouthed kisses over her porcelain skin as she turned her face into his neck and sighed deeply in contentment. 'Darling, please...' She whimpered. '...What if father sees?' Nicolas drew back slowly from her neck, then, pure love in his dark eyes.

'Let me take you on a date, Liesl.' He told her, gently, taking her perfectly sculpted hand in his before bringing it to his lips and leaving a tender open-mouthed kiss to the warm skin that he discovered at the back of her palm. 'Give me the opportunity to put my arm around your waist as we sit together in a booth at one of the cafe's in town, and let me spoil you. Just once.' She opened her mouth to speak but his index finger pressed against her lips before she could say a single word. 'You always say no when I want to let you know how much I love you by purchasing you a new dress or taking you out somewhere fancy, but just for today I want you to allow me to spoil you rotten. Please, my darling.'

'You already do enough for me, Nicolas.' She reminded him as she allowed her arms to slip around his neck. 'You love me, you protect me, you defend my honour and you have always been there to comfort me when I have needed you to be. I already know that you love me and I don't need an expensive dress or new shoes to be reminded of that. Not when I have something so much more precious and that will last so much longer.' One of her arms unwound from around his neck in order for her hand to come to lay upon her belly, a soft smile appearing upon her lips when his strong hand came to cover her own and he slipped his fingers through the gaps in hers. 'However,' She rose onto her tiptoes in order to press a tender and chaste kiss onto his lips. 'I will allow you to take me out to a cafe and to put your arm around me. Then, maybe we can go on a walk in the park?'

'That sounds incredible.' He kissed her hairline, brushing his thumb slowly across her knuckles. 'Now come on, I don't want to waste a moment of the time I've got with you.'

Liesl couldn't help but giggle, then, his arm going possessively around her shoulders as her own wrapped around around his waist and he began to lead her out of the garden.

* * *

Maria was positive that she had never felt so alone as she lay staring up at the ceiling later that evening. The bed in her old room felt cold and unwelcoming, and her frame was painfully far away from her husband's protective embrace. She felt her heart begin ache as she began to recall his hold, the way her body fit so perfectly against his and how he would lean over to kiss her chastely every night, but it would always turn into something more than a mere goodnight kiss.

No, his long and passionate kisses before the two of them went to sleep were a nightly ritual that she was now missing desperately. She touched the tips of her fingers lightly to her lips - feeling the ghosts of his slow kisses there. She sighed beside herself and swallowed hard in order to ward off the tears that were threatening to fall. Georg still hadn't been able to make amends with Liesl. She had never seen him so furious, or so stubborn, and she couldn't believe that he was allowing his emotions to stop him from reaching out to their daughter when she needed him the most.

Turning slowly onto her side as she felt the aching in her heart become more intense, Maria felt the corners of her lips curl up into a loving smile as she took in the perfect sight of her beautiful little girl. For the first time in over a fortnight, Rosmarie was finally sleeping peacefully. Her cheeks were still bright red from her teething and her skin remained stained by the tears that had been streaming down them earlier that evening, but there was a look of complete and utter contentment upon her flawless face as she slept in her cot now.

Maria had taken her husband's advice earlier that morning and had expressed some of her milk before taking it down to the kitchens and refrigerating it, and when she had offered the chilled bottle to their daughter just before she had begun getting her ready for bed, Rosmarie had accepted it eagerly from her. The sight of her perfect little girl finally being able to fill her tiny belly with her milk had warmed Maria's heart, considering she knew that Rosmarie hadn't been feeding properly since her second tooth began to cut through, and she wasn't ashamed to admit that several tears had trailed down her cheeks as she'd cradled her daughter in her arms and watched her take her feed eagerly.

'My angel...' Maria whispered softly as she slipped her hand through the bars on Rosmarie's cot and smoothed the backs of her fingers across her porcelain cheek, a quiet giggle escaping her when her daughter shivered slightly at the sensation of the cool metal of her wedding band against her warm skin. '...Sleep well, mein liebling.' Even though Maria knew that she would be woken by the pained screams of her six-month-old just a few hours from that moment, she was still content to just lay beside her and watch her tiny chest rise and fall rhythmically as her thick dark eyelashes fluttered. There was a faint knocking upon her bedroom door a few moments later and she sat up slightly in bed, her brow slightly creased in confusion before the door squeaked softly as it opened and Liesl hesitantly made her way through it. 'Hello, my darling.' She smiled as she settled back against the pillows of her bed and Liesl closed the door softly behind her so not to disturb Rosmarie from her slumber, a small smile on her lips as her cheeks were tear stained.

'I can't sleep, mother.' Liesl admitted softly as she wrung her hands in front of herself. 'I've been laying there for the last four hours just reliving the conversation that you and I had with father earlier this afternoon. Every time I try and close my eyes I see the anger in his eyes and hear the way he scolded me, and it just won't go away. I had hoped he would have calmed down a little by the time I came home from my date with Nicolas, but the moment I entered the family room and sat with Gretl and Marta he walked out. He couldn't even bring himself to look at me when we were all sat together at dinner, mother, and I don't know how much of this I can take!' She whimpered gently, a deep sigh of sympathy leaving Maria's lips as she looked over at her. 'I couldn't lay there on my own anymore and I knew that you and father were sleeping apart tonight, so I just thought-'

She stopped herself short, her hands continuing to wring together as she gazed down at her mother's carpet.

'Of course you can come and have a cuddle, sweetheart.' Maria reassured her as she carefully drew back the thick covers and there was a warm smile upon her lips, Liesl's deep blue eyes lighting up slightly as she made her way quietly over to the bed and climbed onto the mattress beside her mother. Once she'd covered herself with the luxurious quilt, she allowed her mother to slip her arm securely around her middle before she was drawn into her warmth and she lay her head down upon her warm shoulder. 'I know that you feel as though your father is never going to come round, my love, but he will eventually calm down and see sense.' Maria sighed softly into Liesl's dark brown hair as she turned her head towards her in order to press a tender kiss onto her hairline. 'You must remember that he's concerned about you and hurt that he's the last one to find out about this.'

'But I never meant to hurt him, mother.' Liesl sighed deeply. 'I didn't even mean to fall pregnant in the first place.'

'Your father and I both know that you didn't mean to, my darling, but we also know that you're far from stupid and that you knew that there was a risk of you falling pregnant if you were intimate with Nicolas.' Liesl nodded silently into her mother's neck. 'I think that's what made him angrier, Liesl, the fact that you knew about the risks and yet you still put yourself into that position. In truth, I think he's more angry with himself than he is with you.' Maria saw the slightly confused look in her eldest daughter's eyes as she tilted her head back against her shoulder.

'You're his little girl, Liesl, you're still his baby even though you're not Gretl's age anymore. He probably feels as though he's failed you due to not being there to make you see sense before you were intimate with Nicolas. Darling, he knows that you're going to find it difficult to care for the baby while continuing with your studies and also trying to keep your courtship with Nicolas healthy and strong. It's hard enough to meet the demands of a newborn when you're an adult, never mind as a teenager, and it must break his heart to know that his little girl is going to have to go through all of that. It's not just a matter of feeding, changing and entertaining your baby, darling, it's having sleepless nights when they wake simply because they need to be held close to you and it's trying to decipher what all the different cries mean.' Liesl sighed.

'I never stopped to think about how father feels about all of this, mother, I just thought about myself and Nicolas.' She sighed. 'I realize that what I did has affected everyone.'

'It has, my darling.' Maria admitted as she stroked her daughter's dark hair comfortingly. 'Things are going to be completely different as soon as this baby enters the world.'

'Do you think father will love the baby when it's here, mother?' Liesl asked nervously. 'I want my baby to know it's grandfather; I want father to have a relationship with it.'

'I think he loves the baby _now_ , darling, he's just upset and angry about it all.' Maria reassured her. 'As soon as he's had a chance to calm down, then we can talk to him again.'

Liesl nodded sleepily before she snuggled further into her mother's embrace and buried her face into her neck, breathing in her natural perfume as she felt her kiss the crown of her head lingeringly and tighten her hold around her waist. 'Try and get some sleep, sweetheart.' Maria whispered gently into her dark brown hair. 'I'm going to stay right here.'

'Do you promise?' Liesl murmured sleepily against her skin as she draped her arm slowly over her stomach and anchored herself to her.

'With all my heart, mein liebling.' Maria reassured her as she leaned over slightly in order to turn out the lamp upon her bedside table, Liesl humming in contentment.

'Goodnight, mother.' She whispered into the darkness.

'Goodnight, Liesl.' Maria replied as she allowed her free hand to come to rest upon her stomach through her nightgown. 'Sleep well.'

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading this chapter and please review!


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